Ten hospitals in the region are participating in ASAP's Farm to Hospital pilot program: Mission Hospital, Pardee Hospital, Park Ridge Hospital, Transylvania Medical Center, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, Blue Ridge HealthCare, Murphy Medical Center, Angel Medical Center, Harris Regional Hospital, and Swain County Hospital.  Read more about the different ways each is getting involved.

  About the Program

Hospitals have the potential to act not only as a resource to treat the sick, but as a community role model for proactive healthy choices.  Featuring fresh local foods and offering food and farm related educational programming both improves public health and sustains farms.

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) helps create and expand local food markets that will preserve our agricultural heritage, give everyone access to fresh, healthy food, and keep our farmers farming.  In addition to helping farmers market their product and connecting consumers with sources of local food, ASAP has a strong educational component designed to build positive relationships with fresh local food through cooking classes, field trips, and gardens. 

In 2009, ASAP is conducting a pilot Farm to Hospital program, offering a range of services to hospital food service, administration, staff, patients, and the broader community. This pilot program includes services such as Local Food Guides distribution and support sourcing local food. ASAP also consults on educational programs such as cooking classes, wellness programs, field trips, etc.. and marketing and promotions. 

These services are offered to hospitals across Western North Carolina, as time and resources allow.  For more information or if your hospital is interested in participating, please contact Molly Nicholie .

Funding for the program is provided in part by the Golden LEAF Foundation.